Archaeology, History, and Culture in Greece

Scholarship support will be awarded to applicants on the basis of merit. By applying for the program, students are also applying for scholarship funding.

The American Excavations at Kenchreai, directed by Professor Joseph L. Rife (Vanderbilt University) and co-directed by Professor Jorge Bravo (University of Maryland), with the support of the Center for Hellenic Studies and Sunoikisis, announces the 2017 Archaeological Field School at Kenchreai.

This four-week summer program introduces students to the archaeology, history, and culture of Greece through participation in a field school and accompanying seminars and excursions. The program provides a unique opportunity to learn about the past first-hand at one of Greece’s most spectacular seaside archaeological sites – Kenchreai, the port of Corinth in southern Greece.

Participants will learn about important components in archaeological fieldwork such as data analysis, artifact processing, and conservation, in addition to on-site exploration, architectural survey and stratigraphic documentation. Students will also attend a series of seminars by leading experts in several fields, from ancient religion to ceramic analysis, numismatics, the digital humanities, GIS, and biological anthropology. They will also join excursions to major sites and museums in the region, such as Corinth, Perachora, Mycenae, Nemea, Epidauros, and Nafplio.

The team resides in comfortable lodgings in the area of Archaia Korinthos, on the site of ancient Corinth, where they will enjoy the natural beauty of the countryside and the easy rhythms of a traditional community.

The program cost of $4,350.00 includes lodging, most meals, and program costs. Participants are responsible for their airfare. Some scholarship support will be awarded to applicants on the basis of merit. Applicants are automatically considered for scholarship upon application submission.

By arrangement with the University of Maryland, students can receive 4 units of academic credit by enrolling in the course CLAS 380 offered through the UMD Office of Education Abroad. Students interested in this option will need to fill out an additional application, found below. The deadline for the University of Maryland application is March 1, 2017.

About Kenchreai

During the Roman Empire, Kenchreai, the port of the great city of Corinth on the Aegean Sea, was one of the busiest harbors in southeastern Europe. Frequent ships arrived from distant lands bringing travelers of diverse backgrounds and a bountiful cargo of wine, spices, marble, and exotic wares. Kenchreai flourished as a port where Greeks, Romans, and eastern immigrants lived together in prosperity. Their deities came from all over the ancient world. The community possessed not only one of the most famous mystery-cults of the Egyptian goddess Isis but also one of the oldest Christian congregations in Greece, nurtured by St. Paul. Roman Kenchreai was thus a place of vibrant pluralism: native and foreign, rich and poor, pagan and Christian.

Eligibility

Current undergraduates from Sunoikisis institutions are eligible for this program. Concentrators from any field may apply. The only requirements are intellectual curiosity, a readiness to engage directly with other cultures, and a mature appreciation for teamwork. Knowledge of either ancient or modern Greek is welcome but not required.

Students who have participated in CHS and Sunoikisis programs in the past are still eligible to apply, but those who have never participated in a CHS or Sunoikisis program have priority.

Application

Scholarship support will be awarded to applicants on the basis of merit. By applying for the program, students are also applying for scholarship funding.

Students interested in applying should

fill out the online application,

include in the application contact information for two references,

include a transcript as a PDF attachment,

include a résumé as a PDF attachment.

Apply to the University of Maryland Study Abroad Course if they wish to receive course credit.

We ask that you provide us with the contact information for two faculty members who can speak to your academic work and evaluate your plans for participating in the internship program. If you cannot supply the contact information for two faculty members, please provide information for high school teachers, employers, or mentors who know you well. We will contact them directly about their recommendations.

Please note:

Application attachments must be in PDF format or the system will reject them.

Questions

If you have any questions about the program or the application process, please contact us at sunoikisis(at)chs.harvard.edu.

Publications

CHS Greece

Who We Are:

The CHS is dedicated to the reassertion of the humanism of the ancient world, centering on Hellenic civilization in its widest sense. Today, it stands as a premier research facility, cultivating a repository of materials that attracts scholars, researchers, and students from all over the world...